how'd you like to ride this solar flare on a surf board? It would be fun for about a second. that's probably as long as any of us would last.

Solar flares like this are much larger than the Earth. Just imagine putting 10 Earths together and then raising the temperature to about a million degrees or so. This unimaginable bedlam takes place all the time and we're almost totally unaware of it.



A Solar Prominence from SOHO

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #53

this is an amazing discovery. Just imagine, a black hole the size of a galaxy!



Biggest black hole in the cosmos discovered

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #52

interesting ideas...i don't know if i have the brain power to explain why it couldn't be true.

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #51

Think about a black hole. A black hole's gravity cathes anything that comes near it, even light. However, if something just gets close enough to it, it will sling shot around around the black hole, even light. So, picture three onjects in space, the earth on one end, some far away galaxy in the middle, and the an even further distant balck hole. (The black hole is off at an angle, in other words not all three on a perfect line) Light from the galaxy goes off in all directions in 3 dimensions. We see the galaxy in the sky from the light coming straight at us. Now picture this; From somewhere else, light travels from that same galaxy, in any other direction, gets close enough to balc hole or Neutron Star, and sling shots around it, perfect comes back to earth, and we see the light again, in a totally different part of the sky. It would look like it was farther away then our other image of the galaxy. It would be a different angle so it's orientation would be different. If it was a spiral galaxy, it would just look another one of in the sky. It would be very hard to tell, or even know, if it was the same galaxy that we are already seeing somehwere else. This is some ways explains how the universe seems to be equally full of stuff in every direction we stare. (I read this also.) I am a total lay person, and basically just a fool, so I am sort of thinking out my arse. But still, what do you guys think?

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #50

I started googling Hubble Ultra Deep Field just to learn because it was so incredible. Here is an idea that I ran across. In summary the idea, is that we are seeing many many many galaxies in the Universe, MORE THAN ONCE, due to all the light from all these objects circumventing the universe over and over.

The very concept is based on the 3D nature of the universe, and Einstein's thoery that space, and the universe itself is completely curved by gravity. The idea is that these very distant galaxies are just relections of many other galaxies? (not really reflections, just another view of the same galaxies) It would mean that light is traveling in all directions from any given object in the universe. We see the galaxy one time, from the light that is directly traveling toward us. AND possibly we see the light again as a galaxy, possibly many different times, from the light that travelled in other directions, that somehow circumvented the universe in some way. It would also be hard to tell if we are looking at the same object as another, because we would be seeing it from many different angles in 3 dimensions.

That theory almost seems plausible. It seems like the Hubble, picking up the Ultra Deep Field Image, with ten's of htousands of galaxies in it, in such a tiny tiny patch of sky, makes this theory seem kind of possible. (Combined with the fact that are supposedly so far away)

What do you think?

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #49

I'm looking for people who would like to test my new application. mStars is a sky map software for cellular phones with Java (MIDP2.0 CLDC 1.1). To download mStars to your mobile phone, go to http://smok.astro.uni.torun.pl/~stars/mStars.jad in your WAP browser. For more information go to http://smok.astro.uni.torun.pl/~stars/. All suggestion are welcome (amczarny@vp.pl).

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #48

I have a very ordinary telescope, a Meade NGC-70TCR Telescope, I believe. I have a 26 mm & a 9.7 mm eyepiece, I've entered my zip code and checked the weather and what planets you can see. I'm aware Mars, Saturn, and Mercury can be seen during this month (June 2006). The manual says you can still see deep sky objects even with pollution, and living where I do, it is definately a problem. I'm not sure what to do because I still can't see planets. I'm not trying to see Neptune or a galaxy, I'm just trying to see Jupiter or something very bright, considering I just got this telescope in December. I've seen the Moon several times, but not because of the easy alignment program on my telescope. I sometimes suspect it's wrong. Is there anything I need to do, check, or buy? If anyone has a simple telescope like mine, what do you do to see a planet, use alignment stars, or go to the country, etc.?

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #47

as ridiculous as this sounds, I'm starting to doubt whether the Cassini probe really launched. At least, I think all of the images that we've seen from the "Cassini Imaging Team" are fake. Here are the ones that I'm talking about:


A year at Saturn:
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap051231.html

with "infrared polarized light":
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap051219.html


620 kilometers above Rhea:
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap051213.html

Pandora, a shepherd moon of Saturn:
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap051123.html

Epimetheus and Janus: interchangeable moons of Saturn:
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap051102.html

Ringside:
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap051021.html

Saturns Hyperion: a moon with odd craters:
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap051003.html

Tethys, rings and shadows:
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap050722.html

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #46

another nice pic...this is the core of the Adromeda Galaxy.



the core of Adromeda

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #45

a totally amazing pic of a dying star.

Doomed Star Eta Carinae

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #44

cool pic about a big dust cloud in space.

Reflecting Merope

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #43

another totally rad pic of the Sun.

Solar Filaments

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #42

another awesome pic of the Sun.

Solar Filaments

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #41

an awesome pic of the Sun.

Solar Filaments

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #40

awesome pic of the Sun.

Solar Filaments

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #39

great pic of solar filaments.

Solar Filaments

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #38

pretty cool discussion about solar filaments on the sun.

Sun shot

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #37

this is one of my favorite Sun pics.

At the Edge of the Sun

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #36

the iron sun

The Iron Sun

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #35

interesting animation about what you see before getting swallowed up by a black hole.


Too Close to a Black Hole

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #34

Cyg X-1: Can Black Holes Form in the Dark?


Can Black Holes

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #33

i can't imagine how cold it is on Neptune.

Neptune: Still Springtime

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #32

Sombrero Galaxy!

Sombrero Galaxy

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #31

The Most Distant X-Ray Jet


The Most Distant X-Ray Je

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #30

At the Center of the Milky Way


At the Center of the Milk

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #29

a galaxy so inclined

Galaxy so inclined

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #28

Galactic Center in Infrared


Galactic Center in Infrar

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #27

Astro Pic of the Day always rocks.


Saturn's Moon Dione from

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #26

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engallstar

All Engineering Schools

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #25

Antares looks like a good place for a vacation--not!


Admin

Antares

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #24

This is neat. A red-dwarf star is speeding to our solar system. Should arrive in a million years.


Admin

The star that is coming

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #23

Two views of Andromeda:

From an amateur photographer:
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap030802.html

From a state-of-the-art facility:
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap021021.html

I find these images to be both very interesting.


Admin

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #22

If you're new to astronomy (or been in it awhile) and need some help understanding what it's all about try this link below. We are an amateur observatory with some good ideas.


click here

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #21

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Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #20

i
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Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #19

wow
wow

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #18

in relation to the stars which direction does the moon travel along its horizon
jason miller

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #17

in relation to the stars which direction does the moon travel along its horizon
jason miller

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #16

http://www.fyis.org/astronomer.html
FYIS

Astronomer Commemorative

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #15

Past Life Regression and reincarnation


http://www.cocojumbo.com
Alisa

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #14

Thanks, Sage, there's some good commentary there.

Scott

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #13

As we head towards the constant,
we return to the source. Lao Tzu

Sage

http://members.aol.com/MrSage365/Astronomy.html


The Tao of Astronomy

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #12

I'd like to have a telescope. However, it is getting harder and harder to see celestial objects with all of the light pollution our cities make today.

Scott

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #11

Lucy,
Fall 2002 If you look in the Southern Sky from North America about 8:00 pm you will see Aquarius just East of Capricorn. If you are in the Southern US it will be higher in the sky. If you are in the Northern US it will be low in the sky. I hope this helps.
Chris

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #10

My son is doing a paper for school on the constellation Aquarius and I've found conflicting information on a few websites. One website says it is viewable in the fall in the northen hemisphere and in the spring in the southern hemisphere...another website says exactly the opposite? Can someone confirm which is correct. Thank you!

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #9

Astro Pic of the day remains my #1 favorite on the net. Awesome pictures and commentary there.

Scott

Astro Pic of the Day

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #8

on the 18th the Moon made an apparent close pass by of Jupiter, but I dont think it would have completely blocked Jupiter from view, on the 16th Saturn was occluded by the moon and would have disappeared from view.

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #7

I was on my way back from a club on thursday night (at about 3am UK time) when I looked up to the moon and saw a gloing spot on the dark side.

I was with some other people and they all saw it - so I know i'm not going mad! We all watched it for about 10 minutes, then it just vanished.

Does any one have any idea what this was?

I looked for some clues in the papers and read about planetary alignments, but someone I was with said that it couldn't be a planet. Apparently planets are just like bright stars and this was loads biggers than a star and not as sharp.

If someone could let me know what this was it'd make me very happy. Its really been doing my head in. Last night I couldn't get to sleep 'cos i kept thinking that there was going to be an alien invasion - bit stupid i know!

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #6

Looking at the picture at "The Annotated Galactic Center" makes me wish we lived in a solar system that didn't have so much dust all around. There's a lot of dust in our nighttime sky that blocks our view of elsewhere.

Scott

News Media

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #5

This Astro pic of the day is interesting for stargazers. I'm just starting out myself.

Scott

The Annotated Galactic...

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #4

Some pretty Nebulas on display.

Scott

Starlight Reflections

Sat, Feb 4 09:54 2012 - 66.249.71.199 - message #3